Steam-engine



E. J. ARMSTRONG.

STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.5, 1916.

1,393,736. Patented 001;. 18, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN J. ARMSTRONG, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BALL ENGINE COM- PANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF FENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. is, 1921.

Application filed January 5, 1916. Serial 110. 70,418.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, E WIN J. ARMs'rRoNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam engines and consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

More particularly the inventionrelates to steam engine valves and the parts immediately connected therewith.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows Figure 1 shows a sideelevation, partly in section, of an engine cylinder and steam chest. y

Fig. 2 an elevation of the valve.

Fig. 8 an enlarged view, partly. in section, of one of the valve heads. A Fig. 4 a fragment of one of the valve rings.

Fig. 5 an endview of the valve rings. 7

1 marks the steam engine cylinder, 2 the piston, 4 the steam chest, 5 the ports leading from the steam chest, 6the steam chamber of the'steam chest, 7 theexhaust chambers of the steam chest, 8, a valve bushing arranged in a bar 9 of the steam chest, 10 shoulders at the ends of the bushing for positioning the bushings endwise, 11 press pins secured to the steam chest covers 12 and arrangedagainst the ends of the bush-- ings 8 for holding the'bushings in place.

The bushings 8 are of such alength as to leave a slightspace between their meeting ends. The meeting-ends are arranged within the web 13 and the space 14 is thus provided which forms a convenient receptacle for delivering oil to the valve. This 'is done through a passage 15 extending to the out side of the steam chest.

The valve is made up of the heads 16, and

the guide 17 the guide being connected with the heads by the bars 18. The guide op erating in the bushings or sleeves 8 forms a perfect support for the valves and being solid assists the heads .in supporting the weight of the valve and in sustaining the disturbing eifect of varying pressures.

The valvehead has a ring support made up of the parts 19 and 20, the part 19 being formed integrally with the bars 18 and the part 20 being secured to the part 19 by means of screws 21. A groove 22 is formed centrally of the head between the parts 19 and ring supporting surface 27. These surfaces have the annular grooves-28 thus forming 'one of these grooves at each side of the closure rings 24. An inner main split ring 29 is arranged on the surfaces 26 and 27. It is separated at 80 (see Fig. 5) and has a 861168013 radial perforations 29 (see dotted lines in Fig. 3) which lead through the split ring and to the grooves 28. An outer main split ring 31 is arranged over the inner main split ring 29. It has a point ofiseparation at 32 (see Fig. 5) this being out of register with the separation 81 in the ring 29. The inner ring 29 has perforations 33'and these register with perforations 84 in the ring 31. Pins are placed in these perforations, the pins having heads 36 which rest on the'surfaces 26 and 27. The outer end of the outer ring 81 has an undercut groove 37 and the flanged ring 38 has its outer periphery coincident with the periphery of the ring 31 and its inner flange extending into the groove 87. This ring has a point ofseparation at 39. A shoulder 40 is arranged on the outer end of the part 20. and when the part 2O is'secured in place on the part 19 this 3 assembles the rings, holds them against axial movement and forms an end closure over the opening 39.

The ringBl has an inner 41 at its inner end and an end "closure ring 42 is arranged within this groove, the ring 42 having a point of separation at 44. The

ring 42 is arranged over, a shoulder at the inner end of the surface 27. Aslight annular space 46 is left between the inner periphery of the ring 42 and the outer surannular groove from further endwise movement through the 7 head an annular shoulder 47 1s arranged on the inner periphery of the ring 42 and extends into a groove 48 in the end of the ring 29.

The rings 38 and 42 have the slots 4.3 through which the pins 35 extend. In this way. the different rings are locked so that the points of separation are malntained 1n staggered relation. This is true not only of therings 29 and 31 but also by means of the slot 43 of the rings 38 and L2.

The rings 31 have the perforations 31 which aremaintained in register with the perforations 29 in the ring 29. Thus there is .at all times a direct communication between the outer surface of the valve and the ture numerous holes are provided so that there is a nearly instant balancing of the pressures within the rings and without the rings at all times, thus resulting at all times in a free working ofthe valve and at the same time through'the spring pressure of therings a maintenance of a tight joint. While I have shown pronounced grooves 28 for carrying the steam into a position to equalize pressures, it will be understood'that the rin s themselves ordinarily leave a space which will with proper openings through the rings largely accomplish this purpose. It will be also understood that the pointof separation of the ring may form a means'of communication through the ring.

It will benoted that with-the plurality of openings 31 there are always some of the openings positioned to open into the ports. For this purpose the openings 31 are preferably made numerous enough and close enough together so as to obviate any possibility of'all of them being closed by the bridge walls across the ports. A less num ber of openings might be used, especially if care were taken to have an opening lead to a portso that the steam pressure of the port would be instantly communicated to the interiorof the rings so as to affect the balanced condition. It will be noted that the openings 31 are in communication with the port during the entire period of the clobring about this result.

What I claim as new is 1. In a valve head, the combination of a ring support; a main splitring; an auxiliary split ring having an axial flange extending under the main split ring; a closure flange extending inwardly from the axial flange; and meansfor admitting steam under the auxiliary ring from the steam end of the head. i V I 2. In a valve head, the combination of a ring support; an inner main split ringon said support having an annular groove at the steam end; an outer main split ring on the inner main split ring, said outer' and inner rings having registering openings from the outer surface of the outer ring through the inner ring; an auxiliary ring at the steam end of'the outer main split ring having an axial flange extending withinthe outer main split ring and an inwardly extending flange extending into the groove in the end of the inner main split ring; and means for conveying steam near the steam end of the head under the auxiliary ring. 7

3. In a valve head, the combination of a ring support having an annular groove therein; an inner main split ring arranged on the valve support and extending-at each A side of the groove; inner closure rings arranged within the groove; an outer main split ring on the inner main split ring, said.

outer and inner main split rings having registering openings leading from the outer surface of the outer split ring through the lnner 'spllt ring at each side ofthe groove in the ring support; an auxiliary ring at the steam end of the outer main split ring having'an axial flange extendingunderthe outer main split ring; means for conveying steam under sald auxlhary spllt ring; an

auxiliary closure ring at the opposite end.

of the outer main. splitring; and closures for sald auxihary rings.

4. In a steam engine, the combination. of

a steam chest; valve bushings in the-steam chest; supports for the ends of the bushings, said bushings having a'space between their adjacent ends forming anoil receptacle and between the ends of the bushings.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand. I

3 J. ARMSTRONG. 

